Even the spools made to attach to the precut film have no problem attaching using tape. Really, it works exactly the same. After 5 years of bulk loading my film I've only had 1 roll come off the spool, and that was the second one I ever loaded and it was with a motordrive. I have considered such a device myself, but I have to agree that it's a solution looking for a problem. No reason you couldn't have it custom made for your own use though, just get in touch with someone with a laser cutter to make up what you want. Make up half a dozen and see who else wants one. There's no logical reason for Ilford to make a very niche product for what is already a relatively small part (people bulk loading) of an already niche market (analogue photographers).

Arri makes (made) film cutting scissors for cutting 35mm film for some cameras that required the film to be cut straight across 1/2 of a sprocket hole (perf). I couldn't afford them so i made my own which worked quite well.

I THINK the original poster was wanting a device to sut the tounge to attach to the spool inside the cassette. These days we have to use DX coded reusable cassettes, to get our High tech film camera to know what film they are shooting. ALl the cassettes I have purchased recently come with a spool designed for the film loading machines used by the film factories. they expact the film to be tapered and have either 1 or two small holes to catch on a hook moulded into the cassette. They are the same as most makers (except Kodak) use for film.

As a work around I have been tossing the spools that come with them, and instead using spools salvaged from Kodak Film. This requires a bit of manipulation of masking tape in the dark.

IF there was a small device like a paper punch, that one could stick the end of the film in, and squeze, replicating the outline of the tail end of the factory film, one could just stuff the film into the spool, and be done. The result would then be identical to what comes from the factory.

The tongue outside the cassette is not as hard to do, and is dependent on the camera(s) in use. And it also can of course be cut in the light.

here is the email I just wrote to apphoto@apphoto.es :
There was a recent thread on the APUG website concerning the desire to have a small inexpensive device to trim the end of a roll of blk film to allow it to be attached to the spool on a reloadable film cassette.

It appears that your film is one of the leading makers of the cassettes.

here is the email I just wrote to apphoto@apphoto.es :
There was a recent thread on the APUG website concerning the desire to have a small inexpensive device to trim the end of a roll of blk film to allow it to be attached to the spool on a reloadable film cassette.

It appears that your film is one of the leading makers of the cassettes.

I have thought of trying to make some way to cut the tail end of the film to fit into that slot on the reloadable cassettes but, on the few occasions when I use factory loaded film which is attached like that, I hate it. I always end up pushing and pulling and twisting the film until it breaks off, leaving a mangled end which I have to cut off with scissors anyway.

Instead, I just use black gaffer's tape to attach the film to the spool.

It might be neat to have a gadget to cut the film the right way to fit into the slot. I might like to try it. I'm always interested in gadgets.

I have one of those two-handled film cassette openers, made by Honewell but I often end up just using a church key.

A new gadget to attach the film to the spool would be another neat thing to add to my collection but I'd probably just go back to using gaffer's tape again.

The thing that I would really like to have is an inexpensive film cutter like the ones on 35 mm. film splicers used in movie theaters. When properly cared for, they always cut the film quickly, cleanly and exactly half way between two sprocket holes.

I've thought about bringing my film splicer home from work but, then, I'd have to haul it back and forth all the time. I know I could buy another film splicer but I don't want to spend the money for a whole splicer just to use the cutter.

I suspect that one of the hobby die cutters is a better place to look than anywhere. They come in all kinds of shapes, but nothing that I've ever been able to find that matches. They're simple blade inserts, but making one at home might be tough without some expensive cutting tools for metals.

However, if film does begin to transition to the hobby market, then you can bet those folks would be willing to run the numbers to see if they could make a profit at it. This stuff is usually in the scrap booking section at places like AC Moore and Michaels in the US. Not sure what retail outlets would be in other locations, but they've got to have stuff like this.

If you could get one tool handle with two inserts, one to make the notched end for the cassette spool, and the second insert to make the tongue for the leader you would be in business.

Film is actually thin enough that the dies could be made from hard plastic, but a metal one would last better.

Long, long ago, there were "daylight packs". I just translated that from the german word "Tageslichtpackungen", maybe there was something similar available in other countries. They were cheaper than real 35mm cartridges because it was just the inner part of a cartridge - the film on a spool - packaged in light-tight paper. That must have been in the 50s and early 60s when film was so expensive here that people tried to save as much as possible.

I don't think that it would save much money if a film manufacturer omits the metal canister of a 35mm cartridge.

The future belongs to the few of us still willing to get our hands smell like fixing bath.

Testrite also made such a gadget. I bought one but never use it as it is rather a bother. They are really only needed for certain Leica bodies that do not have a removeable back. Perhaps also for some russian Leica copies. In a matter of seconds you can cut a leader with a pair of scissors. For most cameras it doesn't need to have the Leica shape and can be much shorter.

I don't bother to try and fit the slot in some cassette spools. You also would need a punch to make the hole. I just tape the film onto the spool like non-slotted ones.

A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.